Swing



(No Model.) J HALL.

SWING. No. 565,165. Patented Aug. 4, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM JOHN HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SWiNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,165, dated August4, 1 896.

' Application filed August 17,1895! Serial Nol 569,610. (No model.)

To all whom it nary concern:

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM JOHN HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Swings, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to swings adapted to be put in motion by theiroccupants.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the novelswing. Fig. 2 shows the swing as seen in looking from the right in Fig.1.

In the views, A is a pyramidal frame, preferably formed of metal pipesconnected by ordinary couplings. Near the upper ends of the two oppositepairs of inclined members of the frame are T-couplings carrying parallelrods B upon opposite sides of the frame. From each of these rods dependtwo parallel rods D, which swing freely upon the rod B, which supportsthem, and which are held at the proper distance apart and against saidT-couplings by a rod D. The rods D are of equal length and are pivotallyattached at their lower ends to a horizontal platform, which may consistof parallel bars S, connected by triangular cross-bars S, affording uponeach side a hold for the feet of occupants of the swing. Above theplatform are two facing seats E, pivoted to the rods D to rock,respectively, upon axes 6, parallel to the rods B above. Each seat isfurther supported, at some distance from the rods D, by short rods F,parallel to the latter and having their lower and upper ends connectedto the platform and seat, respectively, by pivots at f f The apparatusthus far described enables occupants of the swing to slowly put the samein motion by leaning and thus changing the position of the center ofgravity, and also by pushing against the cross-bars with the feet; butthe force due to displacement of the cen ter of gravity is trivial, andthat due to pushing with the feet, besides being in itself very limited,is exerted at such great disadvantage that its effective swinging actionis slight. To greatly increase the effective force, other devices areadded.

A lever-arm G rises vertically from the platform between the facingseats, and is so formed that it may be conveniently pushed by the feetof the occupants of either seat. It is pivoted to the platform to rockupon an axis at g, and it maybe advantageously made of bell-crank form,as shown. Links G connect this lever with the rods F at some distanceabove the platform, and hence when it is pushed in either direction thelatter rods must swing and change the angle which they make with theplatform; but this they can do only when the latter swings about therods B, and hence pushing the lever-arm G puts the swing in motion. Theforce exerted depends upon the relative length of the two arms of thelever, and since the whole distance passed through by the point ofattachment to each rod F is very short the difference between theselengths may be very considerable, and it is owing to this short distanceto be passed through that the bell-crank arranged to form a toggle-jointwith the links G, as shown, becomes available and serves to exert a verygreat swinging force.

It is evident that occupants of the two seats may alternately push thelever-arm G and thus accelerate both phases of each vibration andquickly obtain any desired amplitude of movement.

lVhat I claim is-= The combination with the frame and the normallyvertical, pendent rods pivotally supported thereby, of the platformpivotally attached to each of said rods, the facing seats pivotallyattached to the pendent rods above the platform, the normally vertical,short rods having their ends pivotally attached, respectively, to theplatform and the seat at some distance from the points of attachment ofthe pendent rods, a lever pivoted to the platform and having one armprojecting above the same between said seats, and a link connecting theother arm of the lever to one of said normally vertical members.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, in the presenceof two sub scribing witnesses, on this 10th day of August, A. D. 1895.

\VILLIAM JOHN HALL.

\Vitnesses 1 WV. H. MADDEN, Loni A. CORNELIUS.

